


Black Crystal Cocoon

by FangirlOfPower



Series: Hollow Knight fics [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Broken Vessel is named Lost, Gen, Ghost is growing, Ira is Mx 'I was Infected for 400 years I will swear using the Radiance's name if I want to', Ira: life after stasis is already weird enough this might as well happen, Lurien's Butler is named Ira, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pantheon of the Knight Vessels are Charm Shell Soul and Nail like the bindings, Post-Embrace the Void Ending (Hollow Knight), The Hollow Knight is named Dusk, The Knight is Called Ghost (Hollow Knight), Those are the Godhome Vessels, because Vessels aren't bugs, there is lots of discussion of how bugs grow but it's thrown out the window
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:48:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FangirlOfPower/pseuds/FangirlOfPower
Summary: Ghost is growing, like any normal bug.Ghost is not any normal bug.Ghost is a Vessel and the Shade Lord.
Relationships: The Knight (Hollow Knight) & Everyone
Series: Hollow Knight fics [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2055390
Comments: 20
Kudos: 117





	1. The Very Hungry Vessel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the "Uoma cores are edible" from "Wintertime Woes" you should go read it   
> Edit: Fricken could've named this chapter Hungry Knight

Ghost is hungry.  
  
Really hungry.  
  
They've eaten far more than their fair share of… Everything… And Hornet is really mad at them. They're still hungry though.  
  
Hornet kicked them out of the Distant Village, dropping them near the Stag Station with a “If Midwife can control her appetite around us, so can you! You can't come back to visit until you learn to control yourself.” Harsh, but to the point. Dusk was worried but Ghost assured them they'll be back soon.  
  
Ghost really doesn't want to eat their parents out of house and home so they look at the Stations. What's places with lots of food… Greenpath? Yes, but they don't want to go to the station directly, the squits are there and can knock them over. Through Fog Canyon and Queen's Station it is.  
  
Ghost signals to the Stag they want to go to Queen's Station and they start the trek through Fog Canyon. They pop an Uoma and pause at the orange center landing on the ground in front of them. The Infection is over. They pick it up. After a few seconds of hesitation, they stick it in their mouth.  
  
It's flavorful in a way they weren't expecting. It's gooey and slightly spicy. It has tons of nutrients. How do they know that?  
  
Before they know it, they've cleared the room (and maybe two more rooms?) of Uomas and eaten all the cores.  
  
They're still hungry.  
  
They're also sleepy now.  
  
But mostly hungry.  
  
“Ghost?”  
  
Ghost turns around and looks up. It takes them two seconds to recognize the figure and two seconds to respond. “...Quirrel?”  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“...Hunting Uomas and eating cores.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“...Hungry.”  
  
Quirrel tsks. “That won't do, aren't your parents feeding you?”  
  
Cornifer and Iselda are feeding them! They're just eating everything. “...Eating too much too fast.”  
  
Quirrel picks them up. “Come, I'm sure we have better food in the Archives then dozens of Uoma cores.”  
  
They do.  
  
Ghost eats too much too fast.  
  
They're still hungry.  
  
They're getting tired.  
  
But they're still hungry.  
  
Monomon studies them, picking them up and prodding at them. “I think I know what's going on.”  
  
“...Hm?” They try to focus on Monomon. It's kinda hard, which is weird because she's so tall and she's holding them.  
  
“You are about to pupate.”  
  
Ghost tips their head sideways in confusion. It's more of an awkward head roll. They manage to make a questioning sound in their daze.  
  
“Ah, let me explain.” Monomon taps their forehead. They weakly push the tendril away. “When bugs like butterflies and moths begin life, they start as caterpillars. As they grow up, they reach a stage where they are old enough to pupate. They eat a lot of food and get very sleepy and build themself a nest called a cocoon or a chrysalis attached to the ceiling and/or walls. They sleep there for a week to a month as they grow inside the cocoon. Dusk cocooned five times, moths and butterflies only pupate once."  
  
Cocoon? “...Like the Lifeblood Cocoons? Those always get broken, I don't want to get broken…”  
  
“No, not quite,” Monomon says.  
  
“...Hm.”  
  
“You will grow bigger when you cocoon, like Dusk did, and you are very hungry because you need lots of nutrients before you go in.”  
  
“...Hornet said I was eating too much.”  
  
“Hornet was wrong. Quirrel?”  
  
“Yes Mom?” Quirrel says from down below.  
  
“Go to Deepnest and tell Herrah and Hornet that Ghost is about to cocoon. After that, go up to Dirtmouth and tell their parents and Dusk. Find lots of food on your way back, maybe stop at the city storerooms.”  
  
“What are you going to do with Ghost?”  
  
“They are in no state to travel, so I'm going to find a place to put them for when they finally go into their cocoon.”  
  
“Alright. Stay safe, I will return shortly!” Footsteps on the floor, leaving the archives.  
  
Monomon pulls Ghost up close to her mask. They grip the edge of her cloak-mask, dizzy. “...This sounds scary.”  
  
“Pupating?”  
  
“...Being alone for a month…”  
  
“We will be here when you wake up.”  
  
“...Promise?” Ghost clutches at her tentacle. “...All of you?”  
  
“I cannot promise everyone, Ghost.”  
  
“...Okay.”  
  
Monomon carries Ghost around the Archives, the Vessel humming tiredly. She finds a good room for them and sets them down. “Stay here.”  
  
Ghost nods. They don't think they can walk many places anyway. Monomon leaves the room, leaving Ghost to their own devices. If Ghost is going to go into a cocoon for a month, they think they're going to need to remove all their items. They don't want their nail pressing into their back and their items covered in goo like Lifeblood. Ghost hopes they don't turn into Lifeblood goo. Ghost takes their nail off and removes their charms and other doodads from their Void storage. They hold two fistfuls of Geo, staring at them distantly. They have nowhere to put them.  
  
Monomon returns with an armful (tentacleful?) of pillows. They're the same color as she is. “Here you go, Ghost.” Monomon sets the pillows down and scoops Ghost onto them. On top of the pillows she has a big box. “This box is for your things. I see you have taken your nail and many charms off, but I also see you have lots of Geo.”  
  
Ghost nods tiredly. Lots of Geo. They got it from everywhere. They place their handfuls in the box and continue getting it from out of their Void storage. Monomon places their nail by the door and puts their charms and other things on the table by the door. She hums as she does so, a funny tune Ghost doesn't recognize. Ghost finishes putting their Geo in the box and takes it to Monomon. They wander back to the pillows and doze off, their Shade’s eyes closing. They wake back up when someone enters the room, footsteps banging on the Archives’ floor. They open their eyes halfway. “...Hmm…?”  
  
“Ah! You are here! Perfect!” Monomon pats Ghost's head. The Vessel weakly grabs at her tendril. “As Quirrel told you, Ghost is about to go into a cocoon! They need lots of food before that.” The conversation drones on and Ghost zones out, eyes drifting shut.  
  
Someone softly picks Ghost up from their pile of pillows. _Hello, little sibling._ Dusk purrs gently, rocking them slightly. _You're growing._  
  
_Will it hurt? Is it scary?_  
  
_It will not hurt. It might be a little scary._  
  
Someone says something about the Hive. Ghost recalls Hive Knight and lets out a quiet “Uzzzah!” They wonder if he's alright. They did beat him up, but he was breathing when they left him behind.  
  
Monomon says their name then pokes their stomach. Dusk hisses protectively at her. “Ghost, did you like the honey? It was that sweet stuff we gave you on the bread.”  
  
The sweet bread? That was very good. “...Ooh! I liked that…” Ghost wouldn't mind having more.  
  
Hornet says something then footsteps leaving the room. Herrah and Monomon begin speaking to each other about something.  
  
Dusk rocks Ghost back and forth and whispers quiet affirmations that they'll be alright in their cocoon. Dusk sneaks them a few snacks from their Void storage.  
  
Cornifer and Iselda come in at some point. Monomon tells them that Ghost is welcome to a few visitors, but that soon they'll have to be left alone. Iselda gives them a kiss on the forehead and Cornifer gives them several anxious look overs before Monomon sends them off. Monomon tells Dusk to leave Ghost on the pile of pillows and the taller Vessel reluctantly does so. Footsteps outside the door. Quirrel has returned with Ira in tow, the two having food. Monomon directs most everyone to put most of it away, leaving Ira with Ghost.  
  
The ant rubs Ghost's mitten hand in their fingers. “Cocooning, huh? Lurien had a chrysalis because he's a butterfly, but he wouldn't come to visit. Said he's too busy with the city to visit you.” Ira leans closer. “I think he's just nervous that he's going to mess things up with you.”  
  
How would Lurien mess things up with Ghost? They're just a kid. Well… A kid about to reach their first pupation, apparently. Ghost shakes their head slowly.  
  
“That's what I think! Tell him next time.”  
  
Footsteps. Ghost tips their head up. They tip their head sideways, trying to see if they can focus on who's out there. They see the red of Hornet's cloak and… Yellow?  
  
“You!” Ghost has never heard that voice before. The yellow bug runs towards them, dropping a bag near the doorway, and shoves Ira out of the way. Ira cries out, catching themself on their hands and knees. “You inzzzolent little intruder!” A weapon that's definitely not a nail catches Ghost’s cloak and yanks them from the pillow pile. They slam into the floor hard, dizzy.  
  
“Hive Knight!” Hornet yells.  
  
Oh, this is Hive Knight.  
  
Hornet knows Hive Knight?  
  
Why is he so mad?  
  
Hive Knight’s weapon catches between Ghost's horns in an attack they don't recognize and he flips them over his head, slamming them into the ground. That really hurt! “You come into the Hive,” he says with a growl, “you dezzzecrate the plazzze, you zzzteal from uzzz, and I'm tricked into helping you?”  
  
The charm! The Hiveblood charm! He wants the Hiveblood charm back! Ghost wobbles to their feet, heading to the box with all their charms.  
  
A clang, weapon slamming into weapon. “Hive Knight, stand down!” Hornet yells. “They're the one who ended the Infection!”  
  
“Hornet, they zzztole from Queen Vezzzpa’zzz room!”  
  
“They didn't know anything better!”  
  
Ghost feels through the box for a hexagon and looks for the golden hue. There! They pull Hiveblood out of the box and turn around to see Hornet and Hive Knight fighting each other, Ira next to the wall. Oh no, what do they do, oh no… They keen loudly, tapping the charm against their chin. Both Hornet and Hive Knight look over at the sad sound. That works. Ghost walks over as fast as they can and holds up the charm to Hive Knight. He wants it back, right? It's worth a shot to try giving it back. “...You… You want this back, right? I'm sorry I took it without asking. I took lots of things without asking during the Infection.” Hive Knight stares at Ghost silently, as if looking for something on their stark white mask-head. Ghost lowers their arm. “...Do… Do you want something else? The only other things I took were Geo and a mask shard.” Ghost plops down on the floor. Standing is exhausting. “...Maybe a rematch now that the Infection is over?” They hold up the Hiveblood charm again.  
  
Hive Knight snatches it from them and stuffs it in the ruff of his fur. “Perhapzzz onzzze you are done with this pupazzzion we can have a proper zzzpar. You can then prove yourzzzelf an ally to the Hive. Until now, you had pozzzzezzzzion of thizzz charm unlawfully and I had all rezzzponzzzibility to do whatever I needed to take it from you.”  
  
“Hive Knight, watch yourself,” Hornet says lowly. “They have done everything for Hallownest and its bordering kingdoms.”  
  
Hive Knight looks at Hornet and lets out a sigh. “...Perhapzzz I'm being a little harzzz.” He looks back at Ghost. “We were Infected and you had no knowledge of our cuzzztomzzz.” Hive Knight points his weapon at Ghost. “But lizzzen clozzzely, Ghozzzt Le’mer. I will not zzztand for another breakage of our cuzzztomzzz. I bring you honey azzz a gift. Two weekzzz after you are done with pupazzzion, you may come challenge me. Hornet, you may ezzzcort them.”  
  
Ghost nods and stands. They bow to Hive Knight. “Of course!” They wobble back to the pillows and face plant.  
  
Wait…  
  
Hive Knight and Hornet brought them honey?  
  
Footsteps leaving the room. Footsteps near the door then approaching them. Ira flips them over and gives them an open jar of honey. “Here you go,” they say. “Old Light, my heart is racing…”  
  
Ghost sticks their hand in the honey jar and puts it in their Void mouth, ignoring Ira's half-hearted attempt at telling them to use the spoon. It's delicious! They love it. They hum happily, eating the rest of the jar quickly. Halfway through, they just dump it through one of their eyeholes, closing their eyes. Honey drips down their face, getting it sticky. They touch their face with their already sticky hand and look at it.  
  
“Gods, you're all sticky,” Ira says. “What are your siblings going to say when they get back?”  
  
Ghost shrugs. They touch their mitten fingers and thumb together, watching the strings of honey distantly.  
  
They got really tired really fast.  
  
Ira chuckles and brings them another jar. “Use the spoon this time, okay?”  
  
Ghost nods and grabs the spoon. They eat the honey slowly and deliberately, showing Ira that, yes, they can use a spoon. It's possible. They're a good Vessel. They smear the honey on their face, eating the honey off their mitten fingers with their Void mouth. They don't have a real mouth or real fingers. Dusk has a mouth and fingers. Will they get a mouth and fingers after they grow in their cocoon? Or will it be one or the other then the next at the next cocoon? They can ask when Dusk comes back.  
  
They doze off again, getting the pillows sticky. People wander in and out of the room, setting snacks next to them and speaking to each other. Dusk sits next to them and wipes their face free of honey.  
  
Ghost sticks their hand to their Void mouth and removes it. It's covered in something black and sticky. They freeze, looking at Dusk. _What's this?_  
  
Dusk tips their head. _Mine was white… Perhaps your connection to the Void and the Abyss has changed it black? Or maybe because I was always around the Pale King, his magic and all the Soul I was around changed mine white?_  
  
_This is the thing that makes my cocoon?_  
  
_Yes._ Dusk sets Ghost down. They project the next part to the entire room. _Ghost has started their cocoon. We need to leave so they can build it._ Dusk turns back to Ghost and tells them, _We'll be back for you, okay? We'll be back when you emerge._  
  
Ghost nods. _Okay._  
  
Everyone leaves the room, taking most everything with them, and Ghost moves instinctively. They place their hands to their mouth and slap them against the floor. They do it again and flap their wings so they can hit the ceiling. They continue for what feels like hours, covering the room with black. They make a thick hammock of the black substance and hop into it. They make a thick blanket and cover their hammock with it. Sealing it shut, they then cover themself with the Void substance.  
  
They close their eyes and sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With no Shade Lord to control the Void, the inky black lake churns with untempered whispers.


	2. The Dark Depths of the Water

The Void sea ripples. Currently there is no Shade Lord to control it, as the current one is presently in a crystal covered cocoon growing. It bucks and sways, Shades crowding the edge. The few that are foolish enough to touch it get swept in and lost in the waves.  
  
The Void is unforgiving and unkind. The Shade Lord is the opposite. Oh, how the Shade Lord is an oxymoron of all they control.  
  
The Void sea crashes against the shoreline and most of the Shades rush away. The ones that stay mock their siblings’ fear and ignore their own.  
  
A Shade much more solid than most of its siblings and larger than all floats at the top of the lighthouse, looking down at the sight through the window. It has two horns on the left side of its head and one small one on the right. It has a glowing white stripe, almost like a crack, around the right side of its head and through its left eye. It tips its head to the right, studying the Void sea suspiciously.  
  
Several Shades that are the same type of solid as their larger sibling peek out the window, floating over and around each other. Two have four horns, two sets of two on each side, although different sizes and a different set up for each. One of them with a four horns set has a white crack down its face and through one eye. One has upturned horns and a white X shaped crack through its left eye and under its chin. One has downturned horns and a small crack on the back of its head. None of the other more solid Shades have cracks.  
  
The smallest of them all, with two small horns pointed upwards that split into two spikes on the end, taps the window and questions why the ocean is angry. The one with an X shaped crack answers that it is because there is no Shade Lord because their Sibling is Sleeping. The smallest asks if the Shade Lord will wake up. One with two horns that curve down answers that they will eventually.  
  
The largest Shade stares down at the sea, eyes narrowed dangerously. It tells its siblings to come closer, spreading its arms and holding them all as best it can.  
  
The Void sea pulls away from the shore and all the Shades on the beach below rush away as fast as possible, not wanting to get caught in the tsunami of darkness.  
  
The smallest of the solid Shades asks what's going on. Its voice trembles. One of the four horned ones, all four on the top of its head and pointed upwards, says that they're going to be fine. Right sibling? That sentence is directed to the largest.  
  
The largest doesn't answer, only pulling its siblings closer.  
  
The Void sea crashes against the lighthouse, swallowing the room in darkness.  
  
The largest Shade screams in anger before it touches the group.  
  
The room fills with Void.  
  
A broken Vessel in the Ancient Basin awakes.  
  
  
  
  
Dusk jolts awake from where they're sleeping next to Ghost's spike covered cocoon. Did they hear a scream calling for them?  
  
Is this what Ghost felt when Dusk screamed for help?  
  
Dusk grabs their nail from the doorway, slinging it on their back, and signs, ‘I'm going out, expect me back much later.’  
  
“Oh!” Quirrel says in surprise. “Where are you going?”  
  
Dusk pauses. ‘I don't know. I'm following a scream.’  
  
“Hmm,” Quirrel says. “Well, have a nice trip?”  
  
Dusk lets out a huff of laughter and heads out, trying to pinpoint where they felt the scream. The City of Tears? No, lower than that.  
  
The Abyss.  
  
Dusk shudders. Without Ghost around to control it, the Void could be up to anything. They don't want to go into the Abyss, but they will if they need to.  
  
A much fainter scream. Not from the Abyss, but still in that general direction. The Ancient Basin? Dusk would rather go to the Ancient Basin than all the way to the Abyss.  
  
Dusk signals to the Stag that they want to go to the Hidden Station, the station they knew as the Palace Station during their youth. After they arrive, Dusk bows to the Stag gratefully and departs.  
  
Shadow Creepers click on the ground and walls. Dusk gently pushes one to the side. It hasn't done anything to them, they won't do anything to it. Other than that, it's completely silent.  
  
A faint rustle of wings and something tackles Dusk from behind. Their training kicks in and they tip their head back sharply, catching their assailant with their horns. Reaching back with their Void tendrils of a missing arm, Dusk catches whoever attacked them and slams them into the floor. _Answer m-!_ Dusk freezes.  
  
A Vessel with three horns and a cracked mask-head squirms in Dusk's grip. “I yield!” the Vessel cries. “I yield!”  
  
Dusk lets them go and helps them to their feet. _I'm sorry. You attacked me and I reacted too swiftly._  
  
The Vessel shakes their head, dusting off their face. The top of their head, excluding their horns, goes to just above Dusk’s waist. “You are forgiven.” They bow awkwardly, as if their horns are too heavy for their head. “I am lost.”  
  
Dusk tips their head, amused. _I can show you where we are._  
  
“No, that is my name. Lost.”  
  
Dusk nods and bows to Lost. _I am Dusk, formerly known as the Hollow Knight and the Pure Vessel._  
  
“I am looking for my siblings.”  
  
_Ghost and I?_  
  
“No, my many siblings.  
  
A pair of faint yells from above. Dusk and Lost look towards the ceiling. _Those ones?_ Dusk asks thoughtfully. Lost kicks Dusk hard in the ankle.  
  
Dusk brings Lost to the Stag Station, bowing to the Stag. The Stag looks at Lost and huffs in surprise. “Now this isn't a place I'd expect to meet someone new. Hello there, what's your name?”  
  
“Lost.”  
  
“It is a great pleasure to meet you, Lost.”  
  
Dusk looks at the sign with the list of stations and tries to pinpoint where the other Vessels are. The City of Tears? That seems correct. Dusk signals to the Stag that they are going to King's Station. They don't know if the station has been cleared of water yet. Hopefully Lost can swim or is tall enough to wade through it.  
  
They arrive and Dusk helps Lost off the Stag. Dusk bows gratefully and Lost thanks the Stag. The two set off in search of their siblings.  
  
The station has not been drained of water. Lost looks down at it, frightened. “What's that?”  
  
_Water?_  
  
“I've never seen so much at the same time."  
  
Dusk nods to themself once. Evidently Lost can't swim. _It won't hurt you. I can carry you across if you would like._  
  
Lost glares at them angrily then back at the water. “...Okay.”  
  
Dusk picks Lost up, cradling them in their arms, and wades through the water. They set the smaller Vessel down and Lost wobbles on their feet slightly.  
  
A pair of Void screams echo across the city on a chord only the two can hear and they go to enter the city. Lost looks out at the rain in shock. “What's _that_?”  
  
_The rain?_  
  
“What's rain?”  
  
_It's the water that's dripping through the ceiling._  
  
Lost touches a puddle with their foot hesitantly. “...I don't like it.”  
  
_I think I have an umbrella._ Dusk knows they have an umbrella. They pride themself in being useful and have everything prepared for everyone. Dusk feels in their Void storage for an umbrella that's Lost’s size. They take one out that is bright blue and open it. _Here you go._  
  
Lost snatches it from them. “...Thank you.” They hold it over their head and the two begin walking through the city.  
  
Most bugs give Dusk a wide berth. They are the Hollow Knight, a being that was only seen around the Great Knights and the Pale King. There are rumors about what they are and where they came from. Dusk has heard some of them. They're all nonsense. Their favorite is the one about how they're an abandoned shell that crawled out of the Blue Lake.  
  
Lost walks glued to Dusk's side, staring at all the new things around them. Dusk finds this odd. They have Ghost's cocoon on mind and thus they can tell that Lost has cocooned at least once, if not twice. How are they so fascinated with something so close to the Ancient Basin?  
  
How did they get out? Dusk has never asked Ghost because Ghost doesn't like to talk about it. Perhaps Lost will?  
  
_Lost._  
  
“Yes?”  
  
_How did you escape the Abyss?_  
  
“...There's a way out of the darkness into a lighter darkness full of sounds and many legged creatures. There's a creature there that imitates our siblings then strings us up once it catches us. I managed to avoid it, along with six other siblings. Everyone else didn't.”  
  
A lighter darkness full of sounds and many legged creatures… Deepnest. There's a way out of the Abyss into Deepnest, directly into the Nosk den.  
  
_I didn't know any more than Ghost escaped until I saw you._  
  
“The King had us hunted swiftly. After the one who made it to the place filled with color was killed with their own nail, we stopped ascending. Except for… Ghost? Is that the Shade Lord's chosen name?” Lost looks up at Dusk. Dusk nods in reply. “They escaped and disappeared completely. We did not know they had returned until the Dreamers trapped them in a dream high in Hallownest.”  
  
The two pass Watcher's Spire. “Dusk!” Dusk turns their head and sees Ira running towards them, carrying a deep red umbrella. “Dusk, I-!” Ira sees Lost and blinks in surprise, antennae twitching. “Oh, hello! I don't recognize you, are you a Vessel?”  
  
“...Yes? Yes,” Lost answers. They bow to Ira, wobbling under the weight of their horns. “I am Lost.”  
  
“I'm sure Dusk can show you around!”  
  
“No, that is my name.”  
  
“Oh! Pleased to meet you, Lost. I'm Ira, I'm Lurien's assistant!”  
  
Lost looks at Dusk in bewilderment. _Are they alright? They took that information in really fast._  
  
_They were Infected for most of stasis, but I think they have their life together more than most anyone in Hallownest. I would trust them with anything._  
  
“Are you guys Void gossiping? Is it about me? I bet it's about how amazing I look.”  
  
Dusk signs, ‘Yes we're talking about you. Your mask is immaculate.’ They pause. ‘How is Lurien coping? I haven't seen him in a while.’  
  
“Lurien's great! Mostly. I still haven't convinced him to visit Ghost’s cocoon. He's visited the Mask Maker in Deepnest! I think he's finally decided to get a mask that doesn't block his vision.”  
  
Lurien with a mask that has multiple eyeholes… Lurien is the only bug Dusk has ever met that has a mask with one eyehole, so the change will be strange. ‘I'm sure it will look nice.’  
  
Lost looks up at Dusk, confused. “What are you doing with your hands?”  
  
_Sign language?_  
  
“What's sign language?”  
  
“It's what bugs who can't speak or hear use to communicate,” Ira says. “If you're going to use that Void telepathy thing, I'd appreciate being included.”  
  
_You said it gives you a headache._  
  
“Yeah, if you do it for like five minutes.”  
  
_You had something to tell me?_  
  
“Oh! Yeah.” Ira gives Dusk a bag hanging from their shoulder. “This is for Quirrel and Monomon! I was going to head there myself, but since Ghost is there and you've been practically living there, I thought maybe you could take it for me?”  
  
Dusk takes it and tucks it in their Void storage. _Of course._ The two Void yells ripple through the city, causing Dusk and Lost to wince. _“We have to go. It was nice seeing you, Ira.”_  
  
“It was nice seeing you!” Ira goes back into Watcher's Spire, shaking off their umbrella.  
  
Dusk and Lost continue through the city, reaching the forge where the Nailsmith formerly worked. “They should be here,” Lost says, upset. “Why aren't they here?”  
  
After a second of thought, Dusk realizes where the other Vessels must be and groans. _Gods, I hate her, she better cooperate._  
  
“Who?!”  
  
Dusk takes Lost's open umbrella and stuffs it in their Void storage. They pick Lost up and, before the smaller Vessel can argue or wriggle free, descend through the tunnel beneath the path to deal with the most frustrating bug they've ever met.  
  
At the bottom of the tunnel is the Junk Pit, the place filled with water. Lost pulls their feet up, staring at it. Dusk walks over to the scarab sitting on the drier land and sets Lost down, the smaller Vessel looking at the water curiously. _Godseeker, I need to talk to you!_ Godseeker looks at Dusk and immediately starts into her spiel about how godlike they are.  
  
Good grief.  
  
  
  
  
There's a lot of everything everywhere. Lost has never seen so many things. They ignore the golden bug (did Dusk ever say her name?) and Dusk’s argument behind them and hesitantly touch the water with their foot. It's cold but not too cold. They step in, slowly walking into the water. They need to try new things. That's what that big grumpy bug in the edge of the kingdom told them after he taught them his Nail Art. They wonder if he's still there. Probably. He needs to try new things too.  
  
The water goes up to their waist. Deep. Lost steps around for a bit, kicking up water. Fun! Littlest sibling would love splashing in water. This water is probably too deep for them, though.  
  
Lost leans on the wall and it trembles under their hand. They look at it, intrigued. Can they break it? They draw their nail and attack the wall. Nothing. They place their nail in between two cracks and try to pry it apart. Still nothing. Maybe they need a spell to break it.  
  
Lost doesn't know any spells. They look over at Dusk and the golden bug. They're still arguing about something. Lost turns back to the wall. They have one last trick. Whether it will actually work is the problem.  
  
Their horns are just the right shape to pry things out of places.  
  
Lost tilts their head down and headbutts the wall hard, jamming their horns into the rock. Now they're stuck, they hope this was the right idea. They try to yank their head back but that hurts their neck and the sealed crack in their head threatens to break. Instead they slowly pull their head back, pulling the rocks apart bit by bit.  
  
The wall crumbles and Lost falls backward into the water with a loud splash. Dusk and the golden bug stop speaking and stare at them. _Lost, what did you do?!_ Dusk asks.  
  
Lost stands up, shaking off their arms and tilting their head down so water can drain out of their mask-head through their eyeholes. “I broke the wall using my head. Literally.” Lost hops through the passage they just made.  
  
_Why?!_  
  
“It was possible so I did.” Lost walks through the pathway, looking for their siblings. Water drips from the ceiling. “Siblings?”  
  
“Sibling!”  
  
Lost runs and finds four of their siblings at the end of the tunnel. Two are sleeping. One of the two awake has two horns curled down with hooks on the end and a ring of three charm notches around their neck. The other sibling has four horns on top of their head, two closer to the front and lower down and two behind and higher up and a nail on their back. The other two siblings have no visible items. Lost scoops up closer one, the one with a nail, into a hug. “Siblings, I found you!”  
  
“You did!” The sibling with the charm notches stands up. “I picked my name! We all did!”  
  
Lost sets the one with the nail down and picks the other one up to hug instead. “And what are they?”  
  
“I'm Charm!” Charm points at the one with the nail. “That's Nail.” They point at their sleeping sibling with two straight horns. “That's Shell.” They point at the other sleeping sibling with two horns near the top of their head that split into two spikes near the bases. “That's Soul.”  
  
Based on their items, Charm and Nail are a little on the nose and Lost has a sneaking suspicion that Shell and Soul are as well. “My name is Lost. I'm going to wake them.” Lost sets Charm down and kneels to wake up Shell and Soul.  
  
Behind them, Dusk comes walking through the tunnel. _Lost, what do you thi-?!_ They freeze. _...Oh._  
  
Charm looks up at Dusk. “Wow! You're tall!” Dusk snorts and bows to Charm. A pause. “Nice to meet you Dusk! I'm Charm!”  
  
Shell and Soul wake up, the faint glow of their Shades’ eyes opening giving Lost the go ahead to hug them both. “Hello siblings,” Lost says.  
  
“Sibling!” Soul says happily. They hug back. Shell also hugs back, but much harder. “We missed you!”  
  
“My name is Lost,” Lost says in introduction. “Charm told me your names already.”  
  
“That's a funny name,” Soul says. “But our names aren't much better.”  
  
Lost holds back a laugh. “No, they really aren't.” They let the two go and stand up. “Dusk?” Dusk, who is holding Charm, stops what Lost believes is their Void conversation with Nail and looks over at Lost. “This is all of them here. We should bring them out, take them to see Gho-”  
  
Another set of Void yells comes through the ground. Not anywhere close, but somewhere below them and away from the city.  
  
The two largest Vessels stare at each other. _We can't take them with us,_ Dusk says. _Bringing four children through the tunnels of Hallownest is a bad idea. I don't know where we can leave them, though._  
  
Lost taps their chin thoughtfully. “...You said you would trust Ira with anything, right?”  
  
  
  
  
Ira has done many things in their lifetime. They were occasionally supervisor of Hornet and Quirrel before stasis, they watched the city for the first fifty or so years of stasis, they were Infected for the rest of stasis, they are helping rebuild the city right now.  
  
This is new.  
  
“You… Want me to babysit four Vessels while you go look for more?” Ira says, looking behind Dusk and Lost at the four children behind them. “There are more out there?”  
  
_Yes. We can't take them with us and there's nowhere to leave them. I trust you._  
  
Ira’s antennae twitch nervously. There's a difference between watching a small child and a college student and watching four small children. They sigh. “Yes, I'll help you.” Lurien is going to be so mad with them when he gets home. But he's in Deepnest seeing the Mask Maker, he should be a while, especially if he decides to talk to Herrah afterwards.  
  
“Thank you,” Lost says. They shoo the Vessels towards Ira and wave goodbye. The two largest Vessels leave.  
  
And Ira is left with four children. They look down at them and smile behind their mask. “Well, it's nice to meet you! I'm Ira. Which of you is which?”  
  
The one with a necklace of three charm notches says, “My name's Charm!” They point at their sibling who has a nail (why do Vessels have nails at such a small age?) and says, “That's Nail.” They point at their other two siblings and say, “That's Soul and that's Shell!”  
  
Those names are a little obvious, very childish names. They remind Ira of all the names Hornet gave herself when she was still the Gendered Child and not yet named. “Well, it's nice to meet you! Well, I, uh…” Ira hasn't cared for children for a long time. What do kids like to do? “I need to go get something for you to do. But we need to stick together…” They don't think they still have that child harness Herrah gave them on Hornet's sixth birthday. Maybe they could make a baby chain out of the rope taken from the broken chandelier in the Watcher Knights’ room and one of the curtains Ghost destroyed during stasis?  
  
Ira sits the four down and works as fast as possible. They are a quick worker, they are an ant after all. They twist the curtain into handles on the rope, tie them, and tug experimentally. Perfect. They stand. “Okay! Each of you grab a handle, we're going to the marketplace.”  
  
At least, Ira hopes they can get to the marketplace and get back before Lurien gets home from Deepnest.  
  
Oh they're going to be in so much trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the first time in my fanfic writing career, I have to split a chapter in half! It's amazing.  
> Where did the four Vessels come from? They are from the Pantheon of the Knight cutscene so they are semi-canon and I wanted them to show up.  
> Here's the post I made about them: https://ghostlemerofhallownest.tumblr.com/post/638475678311940096/these-are-the-vessels-in-the-pantheon-of-the


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